Abstract
The amounts of fluid that collect in the presacral space after rectal anastomosis were measured in 88 such patients (85 one-stage, three two-stage) treated by one surgeon with closed suction presacral space drainage. Fluid accumulations ranged from 0 to 1816 ml (mean 258 ml) and were not influenced by various factors studied. Only one patient developed an anastomotic leak, and one died postoperatively. None of the 82 patients followed one to five years and none of five patients lost to follow-up after five to 24 months experienced anastomotic complications. These data document the presacral space as a significant collector of fluids following such operations and do not support the concern that such a tube might damage or contaminate the anastomosis more than if left undrained when measured by increased rate of anastomotic leakage, by prolonged hospitalization, or by the appearance of anastomotic complications during the follow-up period.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Collins CD, Talbot CH. Pelvic drainage after anterior resection of the rectum. Arch Surg 1969;99:391–3.
Hilsabeck JR. Enterorectal and colorectal anastomosis: evaluation of techniques including midtransverse or left-sided colon tube colostomy and pelvic drainage. Arch Surg 1981;116:921–5.
Ravitch MM, Steichen FM. Technics of state suturing in the gastrointestinal tract. Ann Surg 1972;175:815–37.
Fain SN, Patin CS, Morgenstern L. Use of a mechanical suturing apparatus in low colorectal anastomosis. Arch Surg 1975;110:1079–82.
Smithwick RH. Surgical treatment of diverticulitis of the sigmoid. Am J Surg 1960;99:192–205.
Baker MS, Borchardt KA, Baker BH, Crull S. Sump tube drainage as a source of bacterial contamination. Am J Surg 1977;133:617–8.
Duthie HL. Drainage of the abdomen. N Engl J Med 1972;287:1081–3.
Nora PF, Vanecko RM, Bransfield JJ. Prophylactic abdominal drains. Arch Surg 1972;105:173–6.
Hedberg SE, Welch CE. Complications following surgery of the colon. Surg Clin North Am 1963;43:775–88.
Vandertoll DJ, Beahrs OH. Carcinoma of rectum and low sigmoid: evaluation of anterior resection of 1,766 favorable lesions. Arch Surg 1965;90:793–8.
Mayo CW, Cullen PK Jr. An evaluation of the one stage, low anterior resection. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1960;111:82–6.
Morgenstern L, Yamakawa T, Ben-Shoshan M, Lippman H. Anastomotic leakage after low colonic anastomosis. Am J Surg 1972;123:104–9.
Goligher JC, Duthie HL, Dedombal FT, Watts JF. Abdominoanal pull-through excision for tumors of the mid-third of the rectum: a comparison with low anterior resection. Br J Surg 1965;52:323–35.
Schrock TR, Deveney CW, Dunphy JE. Factors contributing to leakage of colonic anastomoses. Ann Surg 1973;177:513–8.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Preliminary report of this article was read before the annual meeting of the Northwest Proctologic Society, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, August 27 to 30, 1980.
About this article
Cite this article
Hilsabeck, J.R. The presacral space as a collector of fluid accumulations following rectal anastomosis. Dis Colon Rectum 25, 680–684 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629540
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629540